Useful Apps
Daily Life Google Translate When it comes to translation, Google doesn't do it the best, but it does it the quickest. The Google translate app is particularly useful because you can take pictures, input speech, and even draw kanji into the app. It's also good to keep around when your coworkers ask, "How do you say "~~" in English?" (Note: even Google can't tell you what "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" actually means.) Google Maps Navigation apps are essential for life in Yamagata and Japan. Google Maps is good outside of just driving because it can give you lists of train times and the best train or bus route to get to your destination. On most routes it can also list the fare needed. If you're particularly dedicated to your community, you can become a Local Guide and get points for reviewing restaurants, adding photos, editing hours, and more. Shortcomings of the app include: constantly trying to get you to make impossible right turns, taking you down rice paddy roads, and difficulty in planning out legs of a trip using different forms of transportation. Chrome Internet Browser If you want to do some online shopping on a japanese website or you have no clue what a japanese website is saying use the translation feature on the Chrome internet browser. It is a lifesaver when you first arrive and you want to buy furniture from Nitori or find information on an event you want to attend. Language Learning Anki iOS & Android Most popular flashcard app. You can import vocab from various textbooks. Duolingo iOS & Android Popular language learning app. Tiny Cards iOS & Android Users can make their own decks and share them, this is a much more user-friendly flashcard app than the popular Anki program. LingoDeer iOS & Android Similar to Duolingo. The visual and audio design are on point, and the app teaches far more than most others of this style. Tango Risto iOS & Android Takes NHK News Web Easy news articles, parses them, and gives you vocabulary lists with readings, meanings, and JLPT levels. Kanji JLPT N5 iOS only As the name suggests, it teaches you all the kanji needed to pass the JLPT N5. HelloTalk iOS & Android A language exchange app that lets you text and talk to native speakers. Also lets you correct the other person's texts and vice versa. Learning Japanese iOS & Android (Known as Tae Kim's Guide to Japanese) Very practical/logical guide to Japanese. Covers everything from katakana/hiragana up to advanced topics. imiwa? iOS only Popular dictionary app. Japanese (by renzo. Inc) Android only Dictionary app. Honorable mentions These aren't apps but had to mention them since they're used by a lot of JETs. '''WaniKani '''https://www.wanikani.com/ The ultimate kanji/vocab learning tool! Uses mnemonics and spaced repetition and the site is mobile friendly so you can still use it on your smartphone. '''BunPro '''https://bunpro.jp/ Similar to WaniKani in that it uses spaced repitition and forces you to type answers and not just choose from multiple answers. Teaches grammar and is sectioned by JLPT level. (JLPT N2 is in beta and N1 has yet to come but still really good resource)